UNIT 1: STRUCTURE & ORIGINS OF GOVERNMENT

Which principle of U.S. government does the political cartoonist imply the President is destroying?

• Federalism

• Individual rights

• Checks and balances

• Consent of the governed

Which specific action is protected by the U.S. Bill of Rights?

• A journalist publishing an article that exposes government corruption

• A female citizen registering to vote in a local election

• A local business owner refusing to pay quarterly taxes

• A high school student signing up for a foreign exchange program

An individual accused of stealing identities on the Internet was held without formal charges.

Which excerpt (quote) from the U.S. Constitution best applies to this situation?

• “The right of the people to be secure…against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated…”

• “In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury…”

• “All persons born or naturalized in the United States… are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.”

• “No person shall be… deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law…”

Which situation is a violation of the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?

• Denying a bank loan to a couple on the basis of race

• Blocking publication of a student-run newspaper

• Holding a suspect in jail without charges

• Issuing a subpoena for records in a criminal case

Which statement describes a characteristic of federalism?

• It gives states the authority to regulate trade with their neighbors.

• It puts limits on the power of the national government.

• It allows states to print and coin their own currency.

• It eliminates conflicts between the national and state governments.

Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution best reflects the principle of representative democracy?

• “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion…” —Amendment 1

• “The right of the people to be secure…against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated…” —Amendment 4

• “In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial…” —Amendment 6

• “The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two senators from each state, elected by the people thereof, for six years…” —Amendment 17

Which headline best illustrates an example of representative democracy?

• New Poll Shows Most Florida Citizens Favor Ending Cuban Trade Embargo

• Maryland College Students Sign Petition to Support Lowering Voting Age

• West Virginia Holds Special Election to Choose New U.S. Senator

• Local Activists Protest Recent Cuts in Kentucky’s Transportation Spending

Read the excerpt (quote):

"The Senate of the United States shall be  . . .  elected by the people. . . . "

—Amendment 17, U.S. Constitution

Which of these excerpts from the Declaration of Independence is most reflected in the Seventeenth Amendment?

• “Deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”

• “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…”

• “That they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…”

• “Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes…”

Which of these is an example of checks and balances?

• The Supreme Court upholds the conviction of a federal prisoner.

• Voters elect a President from the minority party in Congress

• The Senate rejects a presidential nominee to the Supreme Court.

• Congress passes legislation to reduce industrial pollution.

Read the excerpt (quote) below.

"For over 150 years, the state of Virginia operated an all-male college called the Virginia Military Institute (VMI). In 1990, the United States government sued the state of Virginia at the request of a female high school student seeking admission to VMI. The Supreme Court ruled that VMI had to admit women who could meet the physical and other requirements."

Which of these principles of law most likely influenced the Supreme Court's decision?

• Common law

• Equal protection

• Implied contract

• Presumption of innocence